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Topic: The Hebrew Sanctuary (Read 123766 times)

I remember several years ago when I was reading about the sanctuary I was studying the most holy place. I guess it must have spilled over into my sleep time because when I awaken in the morning during that time when you awake, but stil asleep the image of the holy place from up above was visable to me.

The point that I became aware of was that when God looked down at the most holy place from (above) what was the first thing he would see? The ark, but on top of the ark he would see the angels and the mercy seat. It helped me to realize that angels are ever present in the most holy place in heaven as well as the earthly one as well. But the point that was brought home to me was the fact that God sees the mercy seat before he sees the law. The law is within the ark itself. There must be a point to this fact that it is inside the ark instead of outside. It must be before God even judges us by the law, He considers the mercy. Mercy without justice is not justice.

This gave me much peace when I saw this at a time in my life when I needed it most, that we have such a loving God that he looks at all aspects of the person with mercy before he passes judgment.

Does anyone have any other thoughts on this??

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Liane, the Zoo MamaRomans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Sister Liane, that is beautiful. We are saved by grace. We are all worthy of death. We must have mercy, or we shall all have to die. The wages of sin is death and all have sinned. Without the death of Christ we should surely perish. For God so loved the world...

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Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Brother Allan, I appreciate your sharing and the uplifting of Jesus and the need to be born again. I wonder if the white curtain may have another meaning though. Let me share my perspective then please share how you see it.

The sinner brings his lamb because he is convicted of sin and has been told to do so. There does not need to be repentance at this stage. Is this true? Now, if there is no repentance, God desires to give it. We see this in the life of Christians today. They want to serve God but have no deep repentance. They strive to do God's will but fail, not having Christ in the heart.

God has a purpose in bringing the sinner into the sanctuary. What is the purpose? To lead the sinner to repentance. How is this done? By a revelation of the love of God for the sinner while is he is a sinner. What is the great revelation of God's love? It is the cross. The sinner must be led to the foot of the cross and there he will be brought to repentance. It is just the same today.

So, let's go back to the sinner under conviction of the broken law. He must take his lamb to the sanctuary. He sees it afar off and begins his walk. What is the sight as he approaches? Is it not the white curtain? What is this to represent? The righteousness of Christ? Yes. He sees the entrance, the veil, Jesus Christ. He is walking toward Christ who is able to give him the goodness he desires, His righteousness. He must continue his coming to Christ just as he is, dirty and filthy. He may not understand yet, what God has provided, but he is trusting in God's requirements and he continues moving toward Christ. He must pass through the veil, showing that Christ is the way. Now inside the outer court, he must still walk to the altar of sacrifice with his lamb. He knows he will have to kill the innocent lamb. He is thinking about the reason why. He is taught that the lamb is a symbol just as the veil and the white curtains were. The lamb also represents Christ. He is commanded to kill the innocent lamb he brought. Let's stop here for a moment and ask a question.

Who enjoys killing? Who enjoys even killing a bug in the garden? It is sad that there is death and it is especially sad when we must do the killing. Now, move up the scale of being and imagine killing a mammal such as a lamb, a cow, a horse, or a dog. A dying horse or dog needs to be putdown to end it s suffering. But now imagine killing a healthy horse or an unblimished lamb. What was God trying to teach at the altar of sacrifice which in type represents the foot of the cross?

The sinner who is ready to confess his sin is told to confess his sin over the head of the innocent lamb thus transferring his sin in symbol to the real Lamb of God. The sinner is told the wages of sin is death, so the innocent Lamb must die in the sinners place. OH..........it is not fair for the innocent to die for the guilty. NO, it is not, but that is God's right and He does it because He loves us. Go ahead and kill HIM. NO, I will not kill the Son of God. Then you will have no part with Him. The sinner yields his heart to the God of heaven who has promised to sacrifice His Son so that the sinner may live. He kills the lamb (Jesus) who has taken his sins away. By the revelation of this love at the foot of the cross the sinner is brought to repentance, for "the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance."

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Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Because the Sanctuary is very simple. Yes it is complex as well, and there are so many many wonderful things to learn, but I have found that in all that is said and done it is still very simple.

The Sanctuary is the very center of Heaven where God dwells. Inside of it's walls are all the tools I need for salvation and safty for our eternal life. I can think of no safer place to go. It is not a physical place, but a place in my mind where God dwells in my life. I go there when I feel lost or unsafe. Within it's walls is everything I need to know about God. How fair He is, how just He is, and how caring He is. Outside, is the world and sin and all the things that can destroy me. When I leave the Sanctuary of God, He has given me the tools and the peace to go out and face all there is to face in the world. I know that I can come back within it's walls anytime, anyplace and feel safe again because God is waiting for me there. You see I can take the Sanctuary with me wherever I go. It is not set in stone or physical in any form.

God is truly wonderful. He knew that we needed such a place. That is what makes the Seventh-day Adventist teachings so wonderful. What church really knows or understands those things. They all have a desorted view. He gave us the lost truths that the Jews once had, but even more, because in it we see all that Christ is and will be.

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Liane, the Zoo MamaRomans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Sister Liane, if it works for you.... I appreciate your desire to be with God in His Sanctuary. The Hebrew Sanctuary was a model of the real Sanctuary in heaven. Paul tells us this and John was able to look inside and see the ark of the covenant.

I have a question before we go on. We (my wife and I) are discussing the particulars of the building on earth and we have not been able to find an "expert" to tell us why the roof is portrayed the way it is in all of the renderings we have seen. So far none have given us a Biblical explanation for their design. We are going to render the Tabernacle accurately and will not speculate. If someone has the knowledge or knows of someone who might have it we would appreciate the information.

The question is as to the pitch of the roof. Was it flat or pitched? We believe it was pitched. Who has any good ideas?

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Joan RŁgemer

Well, I sent off to you a picture scanned in on my 'new possession' ....an AGFA scanner. It was of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. Me getting all flustered with the new fangle techniques and not understanding how megs of pickles workout on the other end of sending a picture email...sure gave you a 'sauer' experience as you tried to download and your whole PC operating system crashed.

So now I know I shouldn't send someone something with 8 megs all at the same time.

I believe as you do, Bro Richard, that the roof of the earthly sanctuary was pitched and not flat. One reason being that a flat roof would retain quite a bit of rain water lending itself to sag under the weight over a period of time and possibly collapse.

That is a very good question, Sis. Karen. What, indeed, shall we do with our talent? As I have stated before, I firmly believe God has given to us what He has given to us---not to flaunt before the world---but, in order that we might be a blessing to others. I believe God is pleased when He sees His children trying to help one another grow in grace and in the knowledge and strength of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We have outstanding opportunities in our various churches to speak up and speak out and help those who are not quite as strong in the faith to grow spiritually. We are to always keep before them Jesus Christ and the Word of God as the only means of salvation.

Weakness results from LACK OF EXERCISE! We are to exercise our faith by LIVING OUT the example of Christ in our everyday living. Our people need to know that head knowledge is not enough. Knowing what is right and doing what is right are not one and the same. Also, lip service will avail us nothing (and we certainly have a lot of that among some Seventh-day Adventists). We demonstrate our love for God by ordering our lives after His Divine Likeness in every department of our lives.

We have a "missionary work" to do right within our own churches. Let us cause the God of Heaven to give us a smile of approval as He sees us helping, sharing, and caring as we interact with one another.

It is a long time since I last visited Remnant Online, and I am happy to see that it is working well here.

Thank you for your thoughts about the sanctuary Richard. God has given us a wonderful revelation of his thoughts and care for us through the sanctuary service. It would be good if other denominations also would make use of it.

About the courtyard, I am not sure what is symbolized in the very moment I pass through the gate. If I (out in the camp) decide to go to the tabernacle, what happens in may life when I go through the gate? I know that the gate symbolizes Christ, but what is the difference in my life one step before entering, and my first step into the sanctuary? Is it the surrendering of the will? I would really like to get comments on this.

My first indepth study of the sanctuary begins this month as I have just come across a book called "The Sancturay Service" written by M.L Andreasen and published in 1937 and 1947 by the Review and Herald Publishing Assn. Anyone ever read this? I find it to be very good.

Dr. Dugald, we look forward to your sharing as you learn of the beautiful truths taught in the services. Elder Andreason stood for truth when the church was drifting and it was sad what happened to him. I would not look to Him as an authority on the Sanctuary though. I am sure he had much good to say, but I fear he may have been mistaken on some important points.

Richard

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Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

When I studied the tabernacle services in academy, all of the kids hated it because it seemed like an infinite jungle of ritual detail and arbitrary explanations.

Then decades later I discovered that the entire description of the Day of Atonement was in a single chapter! Leviticus 16. I realized that ANYBODY--even me-- can master one chapter.

So I took a pen and outlined exactly what happened on that day, in the exact order. I higly recommend the experience to every Adventist. The chapter is just convoluted enough that you can't seem to get the order straight without working it out on paper.

For instance, I found out that only one-third of the sanctuary had been cleansed when the High Priest came out of the Holiest for the last time. And that there was more atonement to be done AFTER the scape goat was released.

WendyL, the moderator and I went through Leviticus 16 as well. After church this afternoon I will share with you some of the very things we learned. We came to the same conclusion that you did.

I agree it is a chapter that needs to be explored more deeply. Just that one chapter is a wealth of knowledge and truth.

Example to me, which floored me when I looked up all the main words from the concordance, that the word Atonement is the key word throughout the chapter, but when you look this word up, you find that sometimes it is applied to expiation and sometimes to purge. Two different meanings. There is even one place where it means to cover only.

It opened a whole new meaning of that chapter to me. I have come to know that the word, if studied much, can give you so many layers upon layers of knowledge and truth that most never come to know. We have only begun, what riches await us for all eternity.

Liane

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Liane, the Zoo MamaRomans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

We would like for you to share your study as long as it is in keeping with what we believe as a people. If there is something new or different, we would like to hear this, but please do not "teach" it as so often is the case with many who go contrary to the truth.

We will be jumping over quite a bit, but that is alright. Let me see if I can establish a bridge for you.

The earthly sanctuary represented the heavenly sanctuary and the ministry of our High Priest, Jesus Christ. Instructions were first given to Adam and Eve and their children to make sacrifice to learn of God's love and the plan of salvation. After a long period of bondage in Egypt, when God's people were not permitted to make sacrifice and the associated truths mostly forgotten, God instituted the ceremonial laws that required the building of the tabernacle and the daily and yearly services. This system of sacrifices was not a direct means of salvation, ("for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins) but was the "teaching method" that God chose to impart the knowledge of the plan of salvation. In the sanctuary service was revealed the love of God towards sinful man, while he is yet a sinner. It is the revelation of this love that converts the sinner. The plan of salvation involved more than the redemption of sinful man. In the Hebrew sanctuary we find a true and accurate description of the work going on in heaven and earth to safely establish God's government for eternity.

The Hebrew sanctuary had two divisions, a daily and a yearly service. The daily service was performed at the altar of burnt offering in the court of the tablernacle and in the holy place. The yearly service took place in the Most Holy Place.

Before Brother Harry begins a description of the "yearly" service, let us make a brief reveiw of the "daily" service.

Richard

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Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

The daily service consisted of the morning and evening burnt offering, the offering of sweet incense on the golden altar, and the special offerings for individual sins. And there were also offerings for sabbaths, new moons, and special feasts.

Every morning and evening a lamb of a year old was burned upon the altar, with its appropriate meat offering, thus symbolizing the daily consecration of the nation to Jehovah, and their constant dependence upon the atoning blood of Christ. God expressly directed that every offering presented for the service of the sanctuary should be "without blemish." Exodus 12:5. The priests were to examine all animals brought as a sacrifice, and were to reject every one in which a defect was discovered. Only an offering "without blemish" could be a symbol of His perfect purity who was to offer Himself as "a lamb without blemish and without spot." 1 Peter 1:19. The apostle Paul points to these sacrifices as an illustration of what the followers of Christ are to become. He says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1. We are to give ourselves to the service of God, and we should seek to make the offering as nearly perfect as possible. God will not be pleased with anything less than the best we can offer. Those who love Him with all the heart, will desire to give Him the best service of the life, and they will be constantly seeking to bring every power of their being into harmony with the laws that will promote their ability to do His will."

In the offering of incense the priest was brought more directly into the presence of God than in any other act of the dailyministration. As the inner veil of the sanctuary did no extend to the top of the building, the glory of God, which was manifested above the mercy seat, was partially visible from the first apartment.When the priest offered incense before the Lord, he looked toward the ark; and as the cloud of incense arose, the divine glorydescended upon the mercy seat and filled the most holy place, and often so filled both apartments that the priest was obliged to retire to the door of the tabernacle. As in that typical service the priest looked by faith to the mercy seat which he could notsee, so the people of God are now to direct their prayers to Christ, their great High Priest, who, unseen by human vision, is pleading in their behalf in the sanctuary above."

The incense, ascending with the prayers of Israel, represents the merits and intercession of Christ, His perfect righteousness, which through faith is imputed to His people, and which can alone make the worship of sinful beings acceptable to God.Before the veil of the most holy place was an altar of perpetual intercession, before the holy, an altar of continual atonement. By blood and by incense God was to be approached--symbols pointing to the great Mediator, through whom sinners may approach Jehovah, and through whom alone mercy and salvation can be granted to the repentant, believing soul."

PP

[This message has been edited by Richard Myers (edited 03-03-2001).]

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Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

As Christ at His ascension appeared in the presence of God to plead His blood in behalf of penitent believers, so the priest in the daily ministration sprinkled the blood of the sacrifice in the holy place in the sinner's behalf.

The blood of Christ, while it was to release the repentant sinner from the condemnation of the law, was not to cancel the sin; it would stand on record in the sanctuary until the final atonement; so in the type the blood of the sin offering removed the sin from the penitent, but it rested in the sanctuary until the Day of Atonement.

In the great day of final award, the dead are to be "judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Revelation 20:12. Then by virtue of the atoning blood of Christ, the sins of all the truly penitent will be blotted from the books of heaven. Thus the sanctuary will be freed, or cleansed, from the record of sin. In the type, this great work of atonement, or blotting out of sins, was represented by the services of the Day of Atonement--the cleansing of the earthly sanctuary, which was accomplished by the removal, by virtue of the blood of the sin offering, of the sins by which it had been polluted.

As in the final atonement the sins of the truly penitent are to be blotted from the records of heaven, no more to be remembered or come into mind, so in the type they were borne away into the wilderness, forever separated from the congregation.

Since Satan is the originator of sin, the direct instigator of all the sins that caused the death of the Son of God, justice demands that Satan shall suffer the final punishment. Christ's work for the redemption of men and the purification of the universe from sin will be closed by the removal of sin from the heavenly sanctuary and the placing of these sins upon Satan, who will bear the final penalty. So in the typical service, the yearly round of ministration closed with the purification of the sanctuary, and the confessing of the sins on the head of the scapegoat.

Thus in the ministration of the tabernacle, and of the temple that afterward took its place, the people were taught each day the great truths relative to Christ's death and ministration, and once each year their minds were carried forward to the closing events of the great controversy between Christ and Satan, the final purification of the universe from sin and sinners.

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Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Brother David, that is a very good question and I have not heard it discussed before. I have looked at these pillars quite a bit. Let me think aloud and I too, look forward to hearing what others are led to believe. I, too, believe this will be right on topic.

What is a "pillar"? Is it not that upon which the main structure hangs? A pillar is the main support of structure. Now, the Hebrew sanctuary had purpose. It was to teach the Hebrews and others of the plan of salvation and of God's grace and power to restore the universe to a safe state.

The pillars, both before the holy place and the most holy place, were the central supports for the tabernacle. I think few understand the majesty of the tabernacle. When we realize the magnitude of the structure, then we have a better appreciation of the "pillars". Now, what do they symbolize? Remember I am thinking out loud, not teaching, yet.

It seems to me that the pillars of the Hebrew Sanctuary may very well represent the message of the sanctuary, or better put for us today, the sanctuary message. There is a message that was given to us as a people in the very beginning of our history as a church. We began when the first angel of Rev. 14 sounded. Fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of His judgment is come..."

"Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Daniel 8:14. Is this not the central pillar of our faith? Now, I am not teaching this, yet, but wait for others to confirm or deny this interpretation for the sanctuary pillars. We know that there is a work today to remove the "pillars" of our faith. We have seen this done dramatically and have called for those who teach such error to repent or be removed from their positions in the ministry. I await with my brother for your coments (and his).

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Jesus receives His reward when we reflect His character, the fruits of the Spirit......We deny Jesus His reward when we do not.

Thanks, Richard. I didnít mean that I felt qualified to conduct a study, much less teach. :-)

What I do like to do is study scripture. Our church is far more interested in the yearly than the daily services, since thatís where we teach that we learn about what Christ is doing now. Thatís why I think itís so intriguing that there were so many activities on the Day of Atonement that we seem to have overlooked. For instance, from Lev 16, it appears that the service did NOT close with the scapegoat. The priest still had to make atonements with the two rams that had been selected in the morning.

I agree that what went on during the rest of the year was important, too, and I appreciate your description of a year ago. As you mentioned, the sacrifice of Lev 4 is only for sins of ignorance. I understand that that means violating some precept that individuals did not know about. Since most common people couldnít read--and didnít have Bibles to read anyway--that must have happened a lot. Do you know of any provision for sacrifice for doing things they did know were wrong, except on the Day of Atonement?